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Optimize Large-Scale Queries
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Optimize Large-Scale Queries

MediumSQL · PostgreSQL

Problem

How do you optimize a query that is scanning millions of rows?

Using the provided PostgreSQL schema, return the latest qualifying event for each active account. The query must restrict events to the first quarter of 2026, include only open events with severity at least 4, and preserve accounts whose event type is unknown.

Output

  1. One row per active account with a qualifying event.
  2. Columns: account_id, account_name, event_id, event_type_name, occurred_at, and severity.
  3. Sort by account_id ascending, then occurred_at descending, and event_id descending.

Schema

accounts
ColumnTypeDescription
account_idPKINTAccount identifier
account_nameVARCHAR(100)Account name
account_statusVARCHAR(20)Account lifecycle status
event_types
ColumnTypeDescription
event_type_idPKINTEvent type identifier
event_type_nameVARCHAR(100)Event type description
events
ColumnTypeDescription
event_idPKINTEvent identifier
account_idINTRelated account identifier
event_type_idINTRelated event type, when known
occurred_atTIMESTAMPEvent timestamp
statusVARCHAR(20)Event processing status
severityINTEvent severity score
Tablesaccountsevent_typesevents
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